Seniors Find Crescent City

Crescent City is the county seat and only incorporated city in Del Norte County, California. Named for the crescent-shaped stretch of sandy beach south of the city, Crescent City has a total population running right at 7,700. Senior travelers will find the city on the Pacific coast in the upper northwestern part of California, about 20 miles (32 km) south of the Oregon border.

The city’s harbor suffered extensive damage and destruction due to tsunamis generated by the March 11, 2011 earthquake off Sendai, Japan. Remember that one?

They say the city is “Where the Redwoods Meet the Sea,” on Hwy 101 only 20 miles south of the Oregon border. The area offers an abundance of outdoor recreational activities utilizing the proximity of the Pacific Ocean, the Smith River and Klamath River, Redwood National and State Parks, and the Smith River National Recreation Area.

Seniors Visit the Battery Point Lighthouse

One of the popular attractions in Crescent City is the Battery Point Lighthouse, one of the first lighthouses on the California coast. In 1855 Congress appropriated $15,000 for the construction of the light station.

It is registered as a California Historical Landmark, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as “Crescent City Lighthouse.” The lighthouse was built as a result of the events on July 30, 1865, when the Brother Jonathan steamer ship wrecked on the reef killing over 200 people.

The area has over 75 inches of rain annually and has the “honor” of being the wettest incorporated city in California. The waters near Crescent City are treacherous as evidenced by shipwrecks early in the town’s history.

The Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park is one of the very few redwood parks with trails that go into the deep interior. That’s where I would go first and then off to Stout Grove, the world’s most scenic stand of redwoods. While my family and I have taken a whale watching tour, I’d repeat it here as well.

Seniors Watch Whales and Birds and Redwood Trees

The Crescent City is a great spot to watch for whales. Senior visitors can see migrating Gray whales in March, April and May from the shores at the Crescent Beach Overlook, Enderts Beach, Battery Point Lighthouse, Point St. George and Klamath Overlook or on a whale watching boat.

Senior birders…Crescent City is a haven for birders, and one of the most exciting and scenic places to visit in search of birds in California. There have been over 420 species of birds recorded in the area. Don’t forget your field glasses. And beaches… they are famed and all along the coast and add much to the scenic beauty of the area.